Not Again
by zumanity ringmaster
Summary: Rogir is back, and badder than before. What is this about a spy in the palace? And the Dog returns with a friend? This is bad news, luckily Lireal, Sam, and Nick are on the job!
1. Chapter 1

**Not Again**

Abhorsen's House sat at the top of the Falls, in the dead center of the River Ratterlin. To all those who knew of its existence, the House was a sanctuary from the Dead and the Free Magic Creatures that frequent the Old Kingdom. The raging river protected it from the sides, the sun and Charter magic guarded the air; but from below was vulnerable. The old well on the edge of the island that was haunted by Astarael, protected the House and the Abhorsens, having put her Charter Magic in that line. But her bindings and protections of the House were wearing thin. She was a Free Magic Creature that was put into order, and one the most powerful. But something from within her own wards was fighting her. It weakened the spells, this Free Magic Adept that was well on its way to becoming a Shiner. Not one of the original Nine, but a Shiner and still very powerful. Astarael struggled in her well, this was not Yreal, the cat familiar of the Abhorsens but something else entirely.

Yreal was curled up in his cat form in the sun several hundred feet above Astarael, on a warm rock. He was no longer bound, but having nothing better to do, he still served the Abhorsens. The Charter sendings bustled about their business, keeping the house in order. The mid-afternoon calm was disturbed by a rumbling and cracking. With a yowl, Yreal jumped in the air as the foundation of the House started to crumble into the Ratterlin. There was a brilliant golden light and Yreal started running away from the destruction. Astarael's well broke, the scent of rosemary and amaranth wafting up out of the cracks in the copper, along with the stench of Free Magic. The Charter left the house, and the sending's fizzled out as the protections dropped. The House crumbled on its foundations, the dust hiding all smells, the crashing masking all other sounds. In the calm, Yreal peaked over the rock he hid behind. The stench of Free Magic filled the air, metallic and biting; a laugh like an earthquake reverberated through the air. Yreal fled to Belisaere to deliver the bad news.


	2. Chapter 2

**Not Again**

"You have to believe me!" Nick Sayer stood before King Touchstone I and his Abhorsen Queen. "Rogir is rising! And he is a Shiner now! Not like the Nine, but still, this is bad news!" He was slowly getting more frustrated as the rulers ignored him, he was resorting to shouting. "The Free Magic Creatures of a lesser order are gathering. Older, nastier beings are awakening when they ought not! The last time this happened,"

"YOU almost destroyed all we know!" Touchstone stood, signaling the meeting was over. "I will not allow you and your lies to ruin all that Sabriel and I have rebuilt!"

Nick glared at the crowned heads and Ellimere. He smartly turned on his heel before saying something he would regret later; and marched out. He stormed down the halls in foul temper. The thought he was looking for trouble! He didn't dare let on that he knew more than he told them. Their royal majesties were being controlled by Free Magic, but the sorcerer was cleverly avoiding all Nicks attempts to find him. Suddenly it hit him.

Nick stopped dead. The Free Magic had a certain taste to it, like a woman's perfume, and it was always stronger around one person. He knew who the sorcerer was, or rather sorceress. It was Ellimere. He mentally smacked himself. How could he not have seen it before? She acted overly respectful to him, as did every other Free Magic Being and sorcerer; because he had the blood of the Destroyer. It had started after her return from the embassy to the northwest barbarians. Not to mention she had powerful Free Magic sorcerers on both sides of her family. Nick shuddered at the thought of Chlorr of the Mask, former Abhorsen. Ellimere also spent most of her time at the House. Yreal had told him about how Rogir was trapped there.

Nick broke out into a run. He had to find someone who believed him. Maybe Sam, or Lirael. He rounded a corner and ran face first into Lirael. They both fell over, and the stack of books and artifacts she was carrying flew everywhere; including the small soapstone dog that had been precariously perched atop the whole pile.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Nick began to apologize, still focused on his goal of finding someone who believed him.

"Hello, Nick."

He finally focused on the girl sprawled beneath him. "Lirael" he breathed. He realized the awkward position they were in, her trapped between the floor and his warm body. He scrambled off her.

"Are you alright?" they asked each other at the same time. She smiled. Nick warmed up, almost forgetting his mission to tell someone. He started to gather the plethora of papers and books. The books were old and in some language he couldn't read. He couldn't decide if he should tell her now, or wait until he tried Sam.

"Oh no!" Lirael cried, breaking through Nick's thoughts. "The Dog!" Lirael shoved all that was in her arms into Nick's and began searching the floor.

"The Magic of the Dead Adept, The Laws of Free Magic, and The Free Magic in the Charter. This is not light reading material, Lirael. What have you been doing in my absence?" The Dog was sitting before Nick reading the titles of some of the books.

"Dog!" Nick and Lirael cried out joyfully.

"Yes, yes. I'm here. I'm alive." The Dog muttered from underneath the hugs. "Lirael, we must leave. Nick, you must come with us."

"Where are we going?" asked Lirael as she released the Dog.

"The Glacier, then Ancessleteirre. We need to talk."


	3. Chapter 3

**Not Again**

Lirael guided the Paperwing down into the Glacier, to where Sam was waiting for them. Nick mentally smacked himself. He had forgotten that Sam was with the Clayr helping them with the crypts. Sam was so bundled against the cold that only his green glasses could be see out of all the furs.

Sam watched as Lirael got out of the Paperwing, his heart did back flips. She, being used to the cold of the glacier had worn what she needed and no more. Then Nick got out, and Sam's stomach plummeted past his feet to the ground and then to the bottom of the glacier. He felt his jealousy overwhelm him as Nick helped Lirael when the Dog barreled through her legs to reach Sam, making her trip.

Lirael walked shakily up to Sam. "I positively detest flying. Period. I don't care if you hear me, Paperwings."

Sam smiled, "Would you rather be a giant owl?"

"Oh, that's worse! I felt sore days afterward. I'd much rather travel on the Ratterlin on the Finder. Do you remember, Sam?"

Sam nodded and smiled, and the two went into reminiscences. It was Nick's turn to feel the jealousy. The Dog even barked in laughter. The four walked into the Domain of the Clayr with smiles and some understanding smiles. Lirael yawned widely and Kirrith, Lirael's aunt, suddenly appeared and scolded the Abhorsen-in-Waiting all the way to bed.

"And look at you! Thin as a rail! And you clothes are a disaster! At least the Abhorsens colors are blue. I will fix a child's tunic for you tonight, so you can have nice clothes. Don't you look at me like that, I'll make sure no one will be able to tell it was a childs tunic. And look at your hand! The least they could have done is make it silver, it would go much better with your pale complexion." Kirrith and Lirael left; leaving Sam and Nick immensely sorry for Lirael, but extremely grateful it was her not them.

"Well, I guess you will be sharing a room with me." Said Sam after an awkward pause. Though they had been fast friends in Ancelsseteirre, they had gone their separate ways in the Old Kingdom; each had regonized his rival in the other and wanted no more to do with each other. "So what are you doing here?"

"Lirael and the Dog wanted to come. Said something about research in a superior library" Nick shrugged. "Dog said she was going to show Lirael something. And she made a list of supplies they would need. What does "In the Skin of a Lyon" mean?

"It's a book to make Charter skins. Guess she'll need a new animal she already has an otter, an owl and the third was something large. I don't remember. The whole thing is worrying though."

"Why?" Nick was curious against his better judgment.

"Well, it seems that every time Lirael makes a Charter skin, she goes from the frying pan and straight into the hottest part of the fire."

Nick still looked confused. "Hunh?"

Sam rolled his eyes, "The last three times she has made a Charter skin, she became a Remembrancer, and then saved your ass twice."

"Oh, so getting out a Charter skin is like breaking the pipes on the Wall?"

"Pretty much." Sam stopped walking to open a door. "well, here we are. Home sweet home. I'll sleep in the workshop and you will have the bedroom."

"Thank, I can always sleep in the workshop, though. I mean it is your bed."

Sam cut him off with a curt, "No. The Clayr will get you a room tomorrow. But for now just crash here. It's actually really late."

Nick rolled his eyes, "It's still light out". A yawn betrayed him.

"Nick, we are up in the far north in the summer. The days are long." Sam looked at a clock, "It's actually 1 am. Get some sleep. There is an en suite bathroom over there."

Nick nodded and hauled his suddenly exhausted body the bathroom and a hot bath. After falling asleep and slipping under the water, Nick got out and hurridly dried himself and lay on the bed. He snuggled into the warm bed and reached to the wall blindly. There were two marks on the wall, one that Nick knew would create a black out in the room until he hit it again, and the other he didn't know. In his sleepy haze he hit both and went to sleep.


End file.
